10
<
At the Zhou house, a foul odor hit me.
Jason and a girl his age were playing games.
The girl held Jason’s smelly feet,
“Oppa, you’re so good! Take me with you
next time!”
“Of course, I’m aiming for the national server.
Impressive, right?”
Catherine saw me and loudly said, “Jason and
Xin are getting along well, like siblings.”
Donna ate sunflower seeds on the couch,
urging Catherine,
“Mom, it’s too messy; I can’t even walk.”
Catherine sighed, threw down the rag, and
sat down, ordering,
“Nina, you’ll clean once a week, prepare
meals, and you don’t have to pay child
support.”
Donna smiled sweetly, “I heard you’re
applying to be Mr. He’s housekeeper. He’s
been looking for someone for six months, and
L
no one’s passed. You can’t just sit at home.”
Jason put down his phone, disgusted, “So
useless. I thought you’d improve after the
divorce, but you’re still a housekeeper!”
Jason’s father, humiliated by me earlier,
taunted,
“Do it for Jason. Come back and do some
work. We don’t ask for much; just once a
week.”
I realized what they were doing.
They wanted to exploit my labor again!
Catherine reluctantly said, “Four times a
month, $1,000. That’s a good deal.”
Compared to 24/7 childcare, cooking, and
housework,
$1,000 was cheap.
I didn’t argue; I pretended to be confused,
“Your $3,000 nanny isn’t good enough?”
Catherine avoided eye contact.
Jason said carelessly, “We’ve changed seven
or eight. They were lazy and unreliable. I don’t
get why nannies are so arrogant!”
I suppressed my anger, “Jason, having your
mother be a housekeeper to your father and
stepmother, have you considered her
feelings?”
He nonchalantly said, “You’re going to be a
housekeeper anyway. Do it at home; at least
no one will laugh at you. Don’t embarrass
yourself.”
I touched my hair; this cold and selfish son
never disappointed me.
I sighed, “But I’m too expensive for you. When
you’re willing to pay $5,000 a month, I’ll come
back.”
Donna laughed at my audacity.
Jason’s eyes widened, “You’re worth that
much?”
Jason’s father threatened, “Even if you get
the job, you can’t do it!”
く
I smiled, “We’ll see!”
I left without another word.
The house was dirty, and the people were
dirtier.
A big family fight was inevitable.
And I decided to stop being soft.
